Draw
by anxiousgeek
Summary: Helen/Will friendship ficlet. Set after Fata Morgana. Will is disheartened.


Despite her words, Will remained somewhat disheartened after the Morrigan left with the Cabal. She knew the man well enough to see the dejection and depression in him. It wasn't obvious in his face, but there was something in his words that she noted. Something in his tone of voice that she picked up on. The new bags under his eyes suggested his insomnia had returned as easily as it had gone.

While she considered it remote, there was a possibility this could take him from her. That he could quit, return to his life of mediocrity and misery, and it was the last thing Helen wanted for him. She knew he could do good thing for the Sanctuary and abnormals everywhere, but beyond that, she believed he would be happy here.

She needed him to believe in himself, and needed him accept failure.

She needed him.

Which wasn't easy for her to admit, even to herself, and she certainly wouldn't be admitting it to anyone else, even Will.

She found him in his office, sitting on the floor of all things, surrounded by books from her library, and bits of paper he'd made notes on, all on different types of abnormals.

"You need to sleep," she told him, "we have plenty of rooms here, if you wish to stay overnight, or move in perhaps."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine," he said, not even looking up at her.

"William," she said, and he did look up then, "you did all you could."

"I needed more time."

"And the fact that we ran out of time was not your fault," she told him, knowing they should've had this conversation a couple of days ago.

"I just-"

He didn't finish his sentence, and she squatted down beside him, cupping his cheek gently. There was stubble there, he'd spent too much time working over the past few days to bother with personal grooming. While she found it aesthetically pleasing, Helen didn't like what it meant about his state of mind.

"We do not win every battle," she told him. "Though I consider this something of a draw personally."

He smiled at that, and she straightened up again, holding out a hand for him. He looked up at her, and took it, letting her pull him to his feet.

"You need to trust me Will," she said.

"I do," he said without a beat, and she believed him.

"Come on," she said, still holding his hand to urge him to follow her.

She led him through the Sanctuary without a word, the large building quiet and dark at the late hour, She stopped outside a room she'd marked off for him some time before she'd even asked him to come and work for her and opened the door for him, holding it open for him, then following him in. Inside, she left him standing in the middle of the room, while she flicked on a lamp and pulled the bed covers back a little. Then she returned to him, and started to unbutton his shirt.

"Magnus," he muttered.

"Trust me," she said, quietly.

He nodded and stood still and obedient as she slowly stripped him down to his boxers, folding his shirt and jeans on to a chair and herding him towards his bed. He climbed in, getting comfortable under the covers as she flicked the lamp back off, only moonlight lighting the room as she removed her own shoes, stockings and skirt. She slipped her bra off, through the sleeve of her blouse, and then climbed into the bed next to him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her, until he was resting his head on her breast.

"Sleep."

"Magnus," he said. "I'm so-"

"You've no reason to apologise Will."

"Then, thank you. For everything."

"There is much more to come," she said, stroking his hair, smiling at him. "Now, sleep," she said, insistently. "The meeting is at nine sharp remember."

He mumbled something in reply, and she felt some of the tension drain from his body finally and she closed her eyes to get some sleep herself.

When Helen woke a few hours later, Will had rolled onto his side facing her, an arm thrown over her, and with a smile, removed herself carefully from his embrace. She slipped her skirt back on, and picked up the rest of her things, before slipping out of the room and heading towards her own.

He would be fine, she decided, returning to her own bed for a little more sleep before the day demanded her once more.

He would be magnificent.


End file.
